Safety gauge for case erecting and packing machine



Feb. 8, 1966 A. E. DADDESE 3,233,890

SAFETY GAUGE FDR CASE ERECTING AND PACKING MACHINE Filed Nov. 18, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 \Q fliI:

\5 I c E N huh) I my l {I l i W O 0 0| W: L 3 W E Q l i N 1". r K) NE:- I I l INVENTOR ANTHONY E- D'ADDESE ATTORNEYS FIG- I Feb. 8, 1966 E. D'ADDESE 3,233,890

SAFETY GAUGE FOR CASE ERECTING AND PACKING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 18, 1963 INVENTOR ANTHONY r- D'ADDESE %[M, p

1% BY ATTOR EYS United States Patent 3,233,890 SAFETY GAUGE FOR CASE ERECTING AND PACKING MACHINE Anthony E. DAddese, Plainville, Conn., assignor to Emhart Corporation, a corporation of Connecticut Filed Nov. 18, 1963, Ser. N 0. 324,442 3 Claims. (Cl. 27157) This invention relates to a case erecting and packing machine and, more particularly, to an improved mechanism for detecting the advance of more than one collapsed case at a time and for automatically shutting down operation of the machine in such event.

As will be described in greater detail hereinafter, the improvement of this invention is particularly adapted for use on a machine of the type having a magazine that contains a stack of fiat, collapsed cases and wherein the cases are removed from the magazine at the bottom of the stack. Each case, after it is removed from the bottom of the stack, is erected and then ultimately it is filled or packed.

Each case is movedhorizontally from the bottom of the stack, and in accordance with the present invention the gauging means includes a shaft which is rotatably supported at one end at the side of the magazine and the other end of the shaft projects substantially horizontally transversely of and over the path of movement of the cases leaving the magazine. The said extending or other end of the shaft is vertically adjustable, and it carries a finger that depends from the shaft in spaced relationship to a single case being removed from the magazine but in position to be engaged by the top case in the event more than one case is removed from the bottom of the stack. When this finger is engaged, it rotates the shaft. An arm projects radiallyfrom the rotatably supported end of the shaft and it is releasably retained in a normal position wherein it engages and closes a switch in the power circuit for the machine. When .the finger is engaged by any additional case being removed from the stack, and the shaft is thus rotated, the arm that is connected to the shaft is removed from engagement with the switch means which then automatically opens to open the power circuit for the machine which will be shut down immediately.

It is the general object of the invention to provide a safety gauging means that will promptly sense the condition when two or more collapsed cases are being advanced simultaneously by the machine. Having sensed this situation, the said gauging means will operate automatically to shut down operation of the machine and thus avoid jamming of the machine caused by more than one case being advanced at one time and which could cause damage to the machine.

The drawings show a preferred embodiment of the invention and such embodiment will be described, but it will be understood that various changes may be made from the construction disclosed, and that the drawings and description are not to be construed as defining or limiting the scope of the invention, the claims forming a part of this specification being relied upon for that purpose.

Of the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the magazine section of a case erecting and packing machine and showing the safety gauge structure of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a transverse cross-sectional view through the machine and showing the safety gauge mechanism of this invention in elevation; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the machine taken at the magazine section thereof to illustrate the invention.

As best shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the machine frame includes a pair of oppositely disposed side plates 10, which extend longitudinally. The frame also includes a "ice transversely extending horizontal plate 12 that extends between the side plates 10, 10 and which provides the support for a vertical plate 14 which helps to define the magazine for the vertical stack of collapsed cases C, C. The magazine is further defined at the sides by a pair of vertical walls 16, 16 which are supported in longitudinally extending planes by support mechanisms 18, 18 extending from the frame side plates 10, 10.

The stack of cases C, C is supported in the magazine on two longitudinally extending series of rollers 20, 20 which can rotate on horizontal transversely extending axes. The two series of rollers 20, 20 not only support the stack of cases, they provide a low friction means or platform for sliding the lowermost case from the stack.

The lowermost case is removed from the stack by a pair of cleats 22, 22 which are carried on spaced apart longitudinal chains 24, 24 below the magazine. These cleats 22, 22 will engage the rear edge of the bottom collapsed carton or case in the stack to thrust the said bottom case from the stack by forward longitudinal movement of the said bottom case over the spaced apart longitudinal series of rollers 20, 20.

The gauging mechanism provided in accordance with the present invention includes an elongated shaft 26 which is rotatably supported at 28 adjacent one end which projects through a side plate ll) of the frame. The other end of the shaft 26 extends substantially horizontally and transversely of the machine over the path of movement of the cases being removed from the magazine. This other or projecting end of the shaft 26 is vertically adjustably supported by the cross plate 12 of the frame. More specifically, a collar 30 rotatably receives the shaft 26 adjacent its said other end, and this collar is provided with a substantially tangential extension 32 which can be moved upwardly and downwardly in a bracket 34 by means of a jackscrew 36 which is threaded into the end of the said extension.

Vertical adjustment of the shaft 26 is effected to rather critically locate the bottom edge of a gauging or detecting finger or plate 38 that is secured to the projecting end of the shaft 26 to depend therefrom. The gauge member 38 is located by vertical adjustment of the shaft 26 so that it will be disposed in the path of but spaced above a single case being advanced from the magazine. However, the location of the gauge 38 is such as to cause it to be engaged by the top case in the event two of them are moved out of the magazine at the same time. When engaged by the edge of a longitudinally moving case, the gauge finger 38 will be pivoted to rotate the shaft 26 as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 3. This rotation of the shaft is used to effect control of the power to the machine so as to shut down the machine.

More specifically, a radially extending arm 40 is secured to the rotatably supported end of the shaft 26 adjacent the side frame plate 10 and this arm is normally positioned as shown by the full lines in FIG. 3 to maintain a switch 42 closed that completes a circuit to the power supply for the machine to keep the machine in operation. However, when the shaft 26 is pivoted as a result of movement of two cases at a time from the stack in the magazine, the arm 40 is moved from the full line position of FIG. 3 to the broken line position wherein it engages a stop 44. Immediately that the arm starts to move from the full line to the broken line position, the switch 42 will automatically open to de-energize the power circuit and shut down machine operation.

The arm 40 is releasably retained in its normal position by a keeper 46 which is held against a stop 48 by a spring 50 seated on a bracket 52 connected to the side wall 10. The keeper 46 has a notch in it to receive and releasably retain the arm 40 in the normal position wherein it engages and closes the switch 42. However,

3, when the shaft 26 is rotated, the arm 40 escapes the keeper 46 to open the switch means 42'.

When the machine operator notes that the machine has stopped, he can remove all of the extra cases being fed from the magazine at once so only one case will be removed therefrom at a time. This prevents machine jamthing and possible damage. After the trouble has been located and avoided, the safety gauge of this invention can easily be reset by returning the arm 40 to its normal position wherein it is releasably engaged by the keeper 46. When the said arm is restored to its normal position machine operation will recommence automatically.

The invention claimed is:

1. Ina power operated case erecting and packing machine which includes drivenmeans for removing the bottom case from a stack of collapsed cases in a magazine by horizontal movement thereof, the improvement of means'eapable of shutting down machine operation automatically in the event more than one case is removed at a time, said means comprising a shaft rotatably supported over the path of movement of the cases, finger means extending downwardly from and rigidly secured tosaid shaft and depending therefrom so as to be spaced from a single case being moved from the magazine and so as to be engaged and pivoted by the edge of the uppermost case being removed in the event more than one case is removed at a time from the magazine, whereby the said shaft is rotated, and electrical switch means operable upon the aforesaid rotation of said shaft to shut down operation of the machine.

2. In a power operated case erecting and packing machine which includes driven means for removing the bottom case from a stack of collapsed cases in a magazine by horizontal movement, the improvement of means capable of shutting down machine operation automatically in the event more than one case is removed at a time, said means comprising a shaft rotatably supported in a generally horizontal position transversely of and over the path of movement of the cases, means for adjusting the vertical position of one end of said shaft, a gauging finger rigidly secured to said one end of said shaft and depending therefrom so as to be spaced from a single case being moved and so as to be engaged and pivoted by the edge of the uppermost case being removed in the event more than one case is removed at a time from the magazine, whereby the said shaft is rotated, and electrical switch means operable upon the aforesaid rotation of said shaft to shut down operation of the machine.

3. In a power operated case erecting and packing machine which includes driven means for removing the bottom case from a stack of collapsed cases in a magazine by horizontal movement, the improvement of means capable of shutting down machine operation automatically in the event more than one case is removed at a time, said means comprising a shaft that is rotatably supported adjacent one end and which extends generally horizontally therefrom transversely of and over the path of move ment of the" cases, means for vertically adjusting the other end of the shaft, a gauging finger rigidly secured to said shaft adjacent said other end to depend therefrom so as to be spaced from a single case being moved and so as to be engaged and pivoted by the edge of the uppermost case being removed in the event more than one case is removed at a time from the magazine, whereby the said shaft is rotated, an arm connected to said one end of the shaft to extend radially therefrom, means releasably retaining said arm and thus said shaft in a normal rotated position, and switch means engaged by said arm in said normal position to maintain power to said machine and operable automatically upon movement of said arm caused by the aforedescribed shaft rotation to shut off power to saidmachine.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,318,132 5/1943 \Veik 271-57 X 2,551,468 5/1951 Schutt 271-57 2,665,907 1/1954 Ribich 27157 2,699,862 1/ 1955 Walter.

3,158,369 11/1964 Blenner 271-57 HUGO O. SCHULZ, Primary Examiner.

MURRIS TEMIN, Examiner. 

1. IN A POWER OPERATED CASE ERECTING AND PACKING MACHINE WHICH INCLUDES DRIVEN MEANS FOR REMOVING THE BOTTOM CASE FROM A STACK OF COLLAPSED CASES IN A MAGAZINE BY HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT THEREOF, THE IMPROVEMENT OF MEANS CAPABLE OF SHUTTING DOWN MACHINE OPERATION AUTOMETICALLY IN THE EVENT MOR THAN ONE CASE IS REMOVED AT A TIME, SAID MEANS COMPRISING A SHAFT ROTATABLY SUPPORTED OVER THE PATH OF MOVEMENT OF THE CASES, FINGER MEANS EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY FROM AND RIGIDLY SECURED TO SAID SHAFT AND DEPENDING THEREFROM SO AS TO BE SPACED FROM A SINGLE CASE BEING MOVED FROM THE MAGAZINE AND SO AS TO BE ENGAGED AND PIVOTED BY THE EDGE OF THE UPPERMOST CASE BEING REMOVED IN THE EVENT MORE THAN ONE CASE IS REMOVED 